


May Be A Cat... Or A Fish? (But Surely, Not A Catfish)

by poeticallypathetic



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Catfish: The TV Show
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But that's all you're getting out of me, Catfish AU, Genderswap(ish)!Korra, I'll tag more once the second chapter is posted, ya know to keep the suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29807721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poeticallypathetic/pseuds/poeticallypathetic
Summary: "Get a dating app." Opal had said."It'll be fun!" She said.Asami never thought that listening to her best friend would wind her up on a reality TV show, however.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 28
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back baby! 
> 
> Only for a short 3-chapter story, but I'm back!

_Dear Mako and Bolin,  
My name is Opal and I am writing this email on behalf of my friend Asami Sato. About a year ago, Asami had met a boy named Korey through the dating app, Bumble. They’ve been in close contact for the last year, but as she tells me more and more about him, the more I become suspicious.  
  
He has never called her on the phone, video chatted with her, and was supposed to come out to New York a few weeks ago to see her, but had an emergency and cancelled the day of. I have reason to believe that he is either a catfish or hiding something extreme from her, and I can’t sit by idly and watch some guy on the internet ruin her life.  
  
I am reaching out to you to see if your investigative skills can come in handy in getting down to the bottom of this.  
  
Best,  
Opal Beifong_  
  
“What do you think, Bo?” Mako raises an eyebrow as he reads the email aloud.  
  
“Let’s take it.”

* * *

“I can’t believe you emailed the producers of Catfish on me!” Asami chastises her best friend Opal after they get the call that Mako and Bolin, the brothers who produced and star in Catfish, accepted Opal’s case about Asami’s internet ‘friend’ that she had grown feelings for.

“It’s not my fault your boyfriend is suspicious AND CLEARLY A CATFISH.” Opal rolls her eyes. “And I know you don’t want to see it because you love him, but there is something wrong with Korey.”

“Opal, he straight up proved he’s not a catfish. He sent that video where he clearly said both of our names.” Asami tries to reason, but it’s to no avail. “You were the one who told me to try internet dating in the first place!” 

“Yeah, okay, that’s fair. However, it isn’t my fault that the one guy you actually like is suspicious. Asami, you’ve never met him, never had a phone conversation with him, never even been able to get him on FaceTime, and he straight up bailed on you when he was supposed to come out here due to a surgery that I’m pretty sure he faked to get out of seeing you in person.” Opal groans. “I’m doing this because I love you and I 100% believe that Korey is hiding something from you.”

“He’s not a catfish.” Asami harrumphs, crossing her arms and sporting a pout. Sure, there were things Korey did that Opal considered sus; like the whole never video-chatting with her or even really calling her. But he had sent a video, albeit speaking in a hushed tone while he was at work, just to prove to Opal that he was in fact, the person Asami was really talking to.

Opal, while semi convinced, still didn’t trust him. She had reached out to Mako and Bolin just a few short weeks after Korey cancelled a flight out to New York from California due to an ‘emergency surgery’.

“I’m just saying, he’s acting shady, and this will help us get to the bottom of it.” Opal explains.  
  
“Fine. Whatever, but I get to tell you that I told you so when he turns out to be nothing but 100% the real deal.” Asami narrows her eyes.  
  
“We’ll see about that.”

* * *

As the next week went on with the date that Mako and Bolin would show up drawing ever closer, Asami took the time to really sit down and think about Opal’s words. Sure, she knew they had some weight to them, Korey was a rather private and hard to get a hold of kind of person, but she can’t believe for a second that he was a catfish.  
  
She remembers when she first matched with him on Bumble, which had been a relatively new dating app at the time. She wasn’t looking for anything serious, really, but more so had been on there to humor her best friend who said she needed to get out more. She remembers seeing one of the few photos he had on his account and immediately being attracted to him. He had short, messy brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a lopsided smile that was absolutely breathtaking. He looked small, but built, and their chemistry was almost immediate as soon as they matched.  
  


**Kor**

_You’re now matched with Kor! You have 24 hours to start a conversation before you are unmatched._

Hey, so I’m not big on this whole dating  
app thing, but I just wanted you to know  
that I think you seem like a pretty awesome  
person :)

Hey thanks! You do too :)  
  


And don’t worry me either, but now  
it seems kind of worth it :D

So I usually don’t do this but would you  
maybe wanna grab a drink sometime?  
Get to know each other better?

Ah, I would but I actually don’t live here

I’m from Alaska

Just here on business and I leave tomorrow  
morning :/

Oh no worries then! Alaska, huh?

I mean I’d still be down to be friends

If you want

And yeah, kinda way out of my element  
here in New York, but its nice

I’d like that

Also, formally, I’m Asami

Korey, but you can just call me Kor

* * *

From there, their friendship has blossomed. They talked almost every day since they first connected on Bumble. Asami found out that Kor was a mechanic with a specialty in race cars, which was why he was in New York, for a convention. As the months passed on, she could feel their friendship strengthening and becoming something more. But they hadn’t talked about it, well texted about it because they hadn’t verbally spoken to each other at all. All of their communications for the first few months had only been through text.

**Kor**

Attachment: 1 image

_(Photo of the beach)_

GREETINGS FROM CALIFORNIA!

God I would kill to go to the  
beach right now

The warm beach, not the cold  
New England ones

Well maybe one day you can

I live here now!

Really? What sparked the change?

I have a family friend down here  
who got me a well paying job

And the lack of cold is a plus

I’m happy for you :)

Thanks, Asami :D

Though I know it didn’t do much  
to the distance between us

True, you know what may help?

What’s that?

We could FaceTime?

Ah I can’t right now, it’s super loud here

No, not now.

Just sometime?

* * *

Sometime never happened. As the months dragged on and things between them got more intimate, Asami way too into her feels to realize anything was off, Opal had noticed that something about Korey wasn’t right.

Asami’s picture perfect boy had a secret, she knew it. She couldn’t figure it out, but she knew it existed.

“Asami, I’m just gonna say it. I think Korey’s a catfish. I mean... not calling you? No video chatting? Classic catfish move.”

Asami had played it off, saying that he was active on Instagram and Snapchat, and constantly sent her photos. But Opal had rolled her eyes and mumbled that he could still be faking photos.

“Okay, then what if Korey’s really a girl?”

But Asami had also assured her that there was no way, bashfully almost. “I can for sure tell you that he is definitely not a girl.”

“And you know that how?”

**Kor**

Attachment: 1 image

(Mirror photo of Kor with messy hair and rather noticeable morning wood)

Good morning!

It must be a good morning

Are you happy to see me? ;)

What???

Oh my god.

I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize

Ah I’m not trying to send you  
unsolicited dick pics I promise

I am half awake I didn’t even notice  
that it was in the photo. I’m sorry

Don’t be sorry

Although I can tell you that if you  
asked I probably wouldn’t say no

Ahaha I’ve never done that before

Asked?

No, taken a dick pic haha

Never really had a reason to?

Oh well that’s a shame

Is it now?

Maybe..

* * *

“Okay first off, ew. Didn’t need to know that you two exchanged nudes. But you can find loads of photos of dicks on the internet.”

“Fair, but his face was in it so that’d be a lot of work to go through just to fake a photo.” Asami rolled her eyes. “What would it take for you to drop this whole Kor’s a catfish thing?”

**Kor**

Weird question

Weird answer?

My friend Opal thinks you’re a catfish

And wants to know if you can prove  
you’re not.

How?

FaceTime?

I’m at work right now

Hold up

Attachment: 1 video

_(Korey is kneeling down next to a car, grease covering his face. In a hushed voice he says ‘I’m sorry I can’t do much more than this right now, but hi Opal and Asami!’ He waves before the screen goes blank)_

* * *

“Okay, fine! He’s real but I still don’t trust him. He’s hiding _something_ whether you believe it or not.”

  
And Opal had every reason not to, in fact, her suspicion of the boy that Asami had met on a dating app was further confirmed when he was supposed to fly out to New York to see Asami only to not show up due to an ‘emergency surgery’.

**Kor**

_(08:45)_

What time do you land again?

Kor?

Hello?

Hey this is Korey’s friend Jinora

Uhm something happened and Kor  
had to be rushed into emergency surgery

What!?

Hold up

**_Kor is not available for FaceTime_ **

You can’t just drop a bombshell like  
that on me and then not answer?

_(14:23)_

Hey sorry my phone died and Jinora  
went home to charge it

I just woke up

You know if you didn’t want to come  
out all you had to do was tell me...

You think I faked an emergency to  
get out of coming to see you?

Asami, I want to be there, but my  
freaking appendix decided now was the  
best time to rupture.  
  
Please don’t hate me, I’ll make it up  
to you, I promise

Don’t make promises you don’t intend  
to keep, Korey

Asami, I swear I will figure out the next  
best time to come out and be there.  
  
And if you don’t believe me…  
  
Attachment: 3 images

_(Photo dump of: Korey’s wrist band from the hospital with the same date as his flight, a small crescent shaped incision on his lower right abdomen, Korey laying in a hospital bed in a white gown)_

  
You do know how much you mean to  
me and how I wanted to be there right?

Yeah, I know.  
  
I’m sorry for being suspicious.  
  
It’s just hard because Opal constantly  
thinks that you’re hiding something from  
me and this was just the cherry on top  
for her to truly make me think that you  
are. I love you, and I’m sorry again.

* * *

And that’s how they made it to where they were today, waiting in the living room of Asami’s townhouse for Mako and Bolin to arrive. Asami still doesn’t think it’s necessary, seeing as just a few weeks ago when the whole incident had happened, Korey had provided enough evidence for her to see that he clearly did get emergency surgery.  
  
Still, a part of her knew that Opal was right, that he was, in fact, hiding something from her. And while she didn’t want to believe that he would do such a thing, she also knew that she couldn’t just let it happen and end up heartbroken over it.  
  
So, when Mako and Bolin arrive, she happily gives them access to all of her social media accounts, her text messages, photos, and anything else they might need to get started on investigating the boy who she had fallen in love with over the internet.  
  
“We’re going to head out, look at some of this stuff, and then we’ll be back when we have some more things figured out. Okay?” Mako states and Asami just nervously nods while the cameras point at her.  
  
“Yeah, okay. You should have everything you need.” Asami shrugs her shoulders and lowers her head, defeated. This was her reality now.  
  
“Hey,” Bolin puts a hand on her shoulder. “Who knows? Guy might be squeaky clean and just have a fear of video chatting or seeing you in person. I’ve seen it before.”  
  
“Thanks,” Asami sighs. “I’ll see you guys later.”

* * *

“Okay, Bo, let’s get to work.” Mako says as they sit down in a small café near Asami’s place. He pulls out his phone with all of the information about Korey and gets to work. “First, let’s run the phone number.”  
  
Bolin keeps the camera on Mako and the screen as Mako throws Korey’s number into Spokeo. The site takes a minute to load and then comes up with a result.  
  
“Registered to a Korey, though no last name which is weird…” Mako continues looking through the site. “It is a mobile phone on AT&Ts network, so he’s not using a texting app.”  
  
“So it’s his phone, we just don’t know his full name.”  
  
“I think Asami said it was Kor Raava.” Mako mentions, “That’s what all of his handles for social media are. And since he’s gone by Kor more than Korey it would make sense.”

“Oh, let’s reverse google search his image next.”  
  
Mako nods and throws a photo of Korey that Asami had sent them into reverse image search. There were few results and it actually brought them to his Instagram account which was under that handle, **@korraava**.  
  
“Okay, so…” Mako clicks on the Instagram and starts browsing through his posts. “I think he’s a pretty legitimate person. No other results on image search than this and he has a decent amount of posts.”  
  
“Wait click on that one.” Bolin points to a photo of Korey on the beach next to a shorter girl with brunette hair.

“Thankful for warm beach days and @jinoraa.” Mako reads the caption aloud. “Hmm, maybe a girlfriend? They seem to have a decent amount of photos together.  
  
He clicks on Jinora’s profile and scrolls through her posts next, further realizing that she was only a friend and was currently dating someone else. But a post did give them some insight on how close she and Korey were. It was a photo of Korey smiling widely with a birthday cake in front of him and a caption reading: **_Happy 25 th birthday @korraava. Thanks for being one of my best friends and pretty much like family! I love you!_**

“So they’re close, but like how siblings would be close.” Bolin deadpans. “Maybe we should reach out to her.”  
  
“Good idea.” Mako nods as he goes to DM Jinora.  
  


**_@jinoraa_ **

Hey my name is Mako and I’m one  
of the producers of Catfish. We had  
some questions about one of your  
friends named Kor and were wondering  
if you could reach out to us at  
718-555-3474

“Okay, what else do we have while we wait?” Mako asks Bolin.  
  
“We have the photos from his surgery that prove he actually had surgery when he supposed to be out in New York. And the short video he sent to Asami to show Opal that he was who he said he was.” Bolin shows Mako the video and they listen to Korey’s hushed voice clearly saying Asami and Opal. “What if he’s just one of those guys who doesn’t like talking on the phone?”

“He just seems too squeaky clean.” Mako sighs. “But he may actually be the real deal. Wouldn’t that be nice for us for a change?”

“Yeah, really.” Bolin smiles widely. “We need at least on episode to end happily!”  
  
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, bro.” Mako chuckles, looking at the photos that Korey had sent Asami from his surgery. As he looks at them, his eyebrow raises when he reads the hospital band. Part of the text was cut off due to the curvature of the band, but something stuck out to Mako immediately.

**_Name:_ ** _Ava, Korey Roha  
_ **_DOB:_ ** _04/11/95 **Sex:** M  
_ **_Intake Date:_ ** _07/02/20_

“Huh, interesting.” Mako blows the photo up more on the screen and keeps his eyes narrow. “Korey’s last name is Ava.”  
  
“Why is that interesting?” Bolin asks, confused.  
  
“Because his Instagram name is korraava… So if his last name is Ava, then who’s Korra?”  
  


_*phone vibrating*_

_Incoming Call_

“Hello, this is Mako.”  
  
_‘Hi, it’s Jinora. You reached out to me on Instagram?’  
  
_“Hi! Yes, I was wondering if you’d be willing to answer some questions about one of your friends, Kor.”  
  
_‘What would you like to know?’_

“Has Kor ever talked to you about a girl named Asami?”

_‘Yeah, a lot. Talks about her all the time.’_

“Do you know why your friend may be scared to meet her or have phone and video conversations with her?”

_‘It’s not my story to share, but yeah.’_

“Another girl?”

_‘No, I assure you that Asami is the only girl that Kor talks about.’_

“Do you know who Korra is?”  
  
_‘Korra?’_  
  
“Well, we know that his name is Korey Ava, but his Instagram handle would lead us to suggest that if his last name is Ava then his first name would be Korra.”  
  
_‘Oh, yeah. Kor has two middle names that make up the RA in between Kor and Ava. Rohan-Aldon. So, his Instagram handle is actually spelling out Kor R.A. Ava.’_

“Huh, okay. Well thank you for your time and all of this information. We may be in touch with you in the next couple of days.”

 _‘Anything to help!’  
_  
“Okay, so that doesn’t help us at all.” Bolin deadpans. “His reasoning for not coming out is legit. He’s a real person. Everything we’ve found so far confirms this.”  
  
“True, but she did say that there is a _reason_ that he won’t call or video chat with Asami, so he’s still hiding something.” Mako sighs. “We need to go tell Asami what we found and then go from there.”

* * *

They make it back to Asami’s house a few hours later to give her the low down on what they had found. Aside from Asami literally telling Opal that she told her so when they confirmed that Korey was actually a legitimate person, she can feel herself biting her tongue when they also tell her that Jinora said there was a reason he wouldn’t call her but that it wasn’t her story to tell. Meaning, unfortunately for Asami, he _was_ hiding something from her.  
  
As they talk about the next steps, the first one being getting a hold of Korey and planning to fly out to California to meet up with him, the doorbell rings.  
  
Everyone looks perplexed, eyes shooting from one to the other as the cameras follow.  
  
“Were you expecting someone?” Bolin asks and Asami shakes her head ‘no’. “I’ll get it.”  
  
Bolin moves out of the living room and through the kitchen to the front door, his little handheld camera recording as he opens the door and is met with a site he was not expecting.  
  
There, on the patio, stood none other than Korey, who was staring at Bolin with shocked expression.  
  
“Oh, I—I’m so—sorry.” The boy stutters out, eyes shifting down to the ground. “I must have the wrong address… I’m looking for someone named Asami… Do you know where she lives?” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I totally forgot to say this but I don't own rights to Catfish the TV show. Please don't come after me MTV, I am but a simple writer in this vast universe.

When Korey had randomly decided to hop a plan and go and surprise Asami in New York there were two things he was not expecting. One: for a man opening the door of the address that Asami had given to Korey months prior, the one she had told him she lived alone at. Two: for that man to be one of the producers of a fucking reality TV show called Catfish, and for him to be pointing a camera at the shy boy.

“Your voice was not was I was expecting.” The swoopy haired man told Korey when he asked about Asami. The boy raises an eyebrow, confused and mumbles ‘what?’ before Bolin continues explaining. “I heard it in the video you sent Asami and Opal, but you were whispering, and… it’s a lot deeper than it sounded there. You sure you’re real and I’m not hallucinating?”

“Uh, pretty sure.” Korey rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. “So, Asami? Is she here?”

“She is, follow me.” Bolin gestures for Korey to come into the house, pointing the camera at him while he enters.

“So, uhm… I need to talk to her and I know you guys have this whole show thing going on, but I need this to be off the record until I talk to her.” Korey tells Bolin as they walk through the front room. 

“Bo?” Mako calls out from the living room. “Who is it?” 

“Okay, stay right here, I’ll go tell him real fast.” Bolin exits through the kitchen and to the right, only gone for about a few minutes before re-emerging without his camera and motioning for the scared looking boy to follow him. “So, we don’t have to go to California, because—”

“Korey?” Asami’s eyes shoot up and stare at the boy who’s standing awkwardly in the kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

“Whoa.” Opal breathes out, eyes wide, lowering her head. “Shit, I guess you told me so.” 

Korey just shrugs, standing in Asami’s kitchen with his hands shoved in his pockets. Asami wastes no time getting up from her spot on the couch and almost all but tackling the boy she loved with a hug. “Oh my god, you’re here. You’re real and you’re here.”

Korey’s taken aback, but he awkwardly hugs her back before offering a small smile. “Yeah, uhm…” He kicks his shoes against the hardwood floor, pulling at the collar of his shirt as if the temperature had gone up to suffocating heights. He points to the back patio. “Can I talk to you?”

“Yeah, of course.” Asami nods before turning back to the Catfish production crew and Opal. “We’re just gonna—” she points outside, “It won’t be long.”

“Asami, your mic.” Bolin reminds her.

“Oh, right.” She replies, flustered as she tries to get the transmitter and mic off of her. “Thanks, Bolin.”

She leads Korey outside and really gets a look at him in the daylight. Caramel colored skin glistening, hair still pretty messy, eyes forever blue yet uncertain, and for the first time, she noticed that he had just the smallest amount of stubble forming along his lower jaw up to the sideburns on his face.

“I’m sorry…” Korey starts off, his deep voice almost throwing Asami for a loop. She had never heard it in full volume before and his hushed one sounded nothing like this, but even while it was deep, it was smooth and gentle at the same time. “There’s a lot I’ve wanted to tell you since I met you, and these are things I was going to tell you when I originally planned to be here before my appendix ruptured but…”

Asami reaches out and grabs his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay, you can tell me.”

“So, my name is Korey and obviously I’m a real person, but I wasn’t always truthful with you.” Korey sighs loudly before looking at the ground. “There were reasons why I wouldn’t video chat with you or talk with you on the phone, and I want you to know that they had nothing to do with you and everything to do with me and who I am as a person.”

There’s a brief silence before he continues.

“I was born intersex, which in my case meant that I was a female born with the male reproductive system and organs. Hence why, you know, I have a dick.” Korey doesn’t waste time or even look up at Asami, fearful to meet her eyes and he continues. “So, I grew up in Alaska with my parents, who are ever supportive and wonderful. Everyone else, however, wasn’t as supportive as they were. I was named Korra Ava up until I was about 24 when I asked my parents if they would be okay with legally change my name and gender identity. I had always gotten so much harassment and hate for being ‘the chick with the dick’ that I hated myself, I didn’t feel comfortable with who I was or the body I was born into. The next couple years of being in Alaska sucked. Regardless of changing my gender and name, I was still always known as the odd one out. When I went out to that convention in New York a year ago, it was the first time that I could actually just be me, be Korey, and not ‘Korra who pretends to be a guy’.”

He finally looks up at meets Asami’s eyes, which were watering, but chooses to continue, still afraid of what she might say after everything, so he knew he needed to get it out before she replied. 

“I wasn’t expecting to meet you, or to have this connection with you, or fall in love with you… but I did. And I was so fucking afraid to tell you the truth because I didn’t know how you’d react. I didn’t call you or video chat with you because I hadn’t started hormone replacement therapy until a few months ago, so my voice changes would’ve surely given it away. I was lucky enough that I had resources like binders and that I already had a penis because it made it easier at least photo wise for me to prove to you that I was real, but… I feel so shitty for lying to you also. And I came out here to tell you in person because you deserve someone who is honest with you and doesn’t keep secrets, and I’m not that guy. But I at least owe it to you to tell you the truth to your face. Shit, I even rescheduled my top surgery to be here right now, so that kinda tells you how important this all was to me.”

“Oh.” Asami breathes out, clearly overwhelmed by the vast amount of information that was just dropped on her. But did it really matter to her that Korey previously was a female? No. Because Korey was Korey, and he was real, and he was the **boy** she had fallen in love with. His gender wasn’t invalidated by his past because his gender now was valid. Korey was a boy, and Asami loved him just as he was. She knows she probably would’ve loved him as any form of himself, but really, now, with the truth coming out and everything starting to make sense, she can’t help but love him more.

If not for his bravery, it was for his raw vulnerability. It was because he thought that she deserved to know the truth face to face, and that he flew all the way to New York to make it happen. That he doesn’t expect anything from her, but still made an effort to see her before he believes she’d inevitably let him down easy. That he risked everything just to be there right now, pouring his heart out, and reminding Asami of why she fell for him in the first place.

She doesn’t say anything else, just grabs his hand and steps forward. She leans down slightly and presses a short, soft kiss on those lips that she had been dying to taste for a year now. The very minimal stubble on Korey’s chin tickled her own skin, and she pulled away breathless and blushing. 

“I love you, Korey. For being you and for being honest with me.” Asami smiles gently, squeezing his hand. “You could’ve easily kept leading me on and never told me, but you flew across the motherfucking country knowing that I could react poorly to all of this, just to tell me the truth. While I know it doesn’t excuse some of the weird shit you put me through, it’s appreciated more than you could imagine.”

“I came here with the belief that I would lose you, so…” Korey sighs loudly. “I’m sorry for not being up front and honest with you from the start. It was wrong of me to judge you and assume that you’d treat me the same as most people did back home. It’s just when you’ve been told your whole life that you’re messed up and wrong, it kind of sinks into your brain and never leaves.”

“I wish you would’ve been more open, I do, but I understand also why you weren’t.” Asami lowers her head. “I mean, trans people still get discriminated against by what should be their own community within the LGBT.”

“Yeah, I don’t even have bathroom rights in North Carolina, so there’s that.” He halfheartedly chuckles. “Honestly, I’m still kind of shocked that I’m here... in front of you. I thought I would’ve chickened out.”

“I’m glad you are.” Asami smiles genuinely. “But from now on? No more secrets.”

Korey smiles, eyes hopeful and bright. He really had expected this to go downhill but who was he kidding? Asami was everything good in his life, and even now with the giant bombshell he dropped on her, she was there. She didn’t run or look away in disgust. She accepted him for who he was, and he couldn’t be happier. He grabs her hands and gives them a reassuring squeeze.

“No more secrets.”

* * *

**Three Months Later**

The sound of an alarm blaring followed by a loud groan was all it took to wake Asami up from her blissful, yet much needed nap. She can feel her arms, that are securely wrapped around a tan waist, move as Korey sits up and stretches. A pair of soft lips press against her messy hair and she finally takes this time to open her eyes and look up. 

“Hey.” She says with a sleepy smile on her face. 

“Hey to you, too.” Korey chuckles. “Sorry if I woke you up.”

Asami yawns, “It’s okay. I still got enough sleep after _someone_ wore me out.”

“Huh, wonder who that could’ve been.” Korey feigns shock.

“I wonder.” Asami smirks before capturing his lips with her own.

“I have to work.” Korey mumbles against her lips. “I’m not on vacation like you.”

“Mm, just call out or something.” Asami deepens the kiss and pulls him closer to her. Korey knows he can’t skip work, but can he afford a few extra minutes of making out with his girlfriend? Well, even if he couldn’t, he was going to do so anyway.

Asami’s bare chest presses against his and the tiniest moan comes out from behind Asami’s lips which instantly sends blood rushing right to the place where he was hoping he could play it cool.

He pulls away from the kiss, both of them breathing heavily, and Korey ducks his head. “Definitely gonna need a cold shower now.”

“Or…”

“No, no. Stop there. As much as I would love staying here and showing you how much I love you; you, my dear Asami, are a distraction. A very attractive, lovely distraction. But a distraction nonetheless, and I _really_ need to get to work.” Korey emphasizes. Of course, he doesn’t _want_ to go to work when he could be having lots and lots of exciting and passionate sex with his girlfriend, but he had bills to pay; very expensive medical bills from his recent surgery. 

“I know.” Asami sighs. “A girl can dream though, right?”

“You can do whatever you want.” Korey smiles and gives her a quick kiss before heading off to the bathroom to shower.

Asami grins widely as she leans against the headboard of his bed. She had never expected that after Mako and Bolin had first arrived at her townhome in New York that she’d actually meet face-to-face with Korey _and_ that they would 100% start a true and meaningful relationship from there. Sure, she knew she would probably meet him if he hadn’t shown up at her door, but the outcome might’ve been different. It was almost like fate that, instead of them having to jump through the hoops to get in contact with him, he just happened to show up on her doorstep at the _same_ time Catfish was investigating him.

But she couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. After they had their talk outside, they went back into her home where Korey agreed to be mic’d up and tell Mako, Bolin, and Opal the truth that he was hiding, which for the record, would also be a part of the show. Asami watched with pride as he opened up to them and was willing to let the world know his story. Opal had even apologized for not believing him (because in her words, it didn’t matter if Korey was trans, he was still a man), and had come from a very understanding place in recognizing why he acted the way he did.  
  
Since their episode ended, they continued talking and pursuing a relationship. Korey obviously had to go back to California, but they both made plans throughout the calendar year to see each other. A few weeks after he went home, he had FaceTimed Asami when he was at the doctor’s office and was able to see the results of his top surgery. He had mentioned that he wanted her there for this moment, even if it wasn’t in person, and together they cried tears of joy when it was revealed.  
  
When he picked her up from LAX a few days ago, it really solidified everything for them. Asami had never thought that anything significant would come from her mindlessly swiping through a dating app, but what she got was the world’s most loving and caring boyfriend, and a cool story to tell at parties.  
  
Her computer starts chiming, signaling that she was getting a Skype call and Asami jumps out of Korey’s bed and throws a robe over her naked body. She figured it was just Opal checking in on her, but was surprised to see Mako’s name dance across the screen. She accepts the call, not even bothering to fix her hair and smiles as the spiky haired man and his brother show up on screen.  
  
_‘HEY!’_ Mako and Bolin yell at the same time.  
  
“Hey guys.” Asami smiles widely, waving.  
  
_‘How are things going with you?’_ Bolin asks, cocking an eyebrow at her appearance. _‘We didn’t wake you up, right?’_  
  
“No, I woke up like ten minutes ago, though.” Asami chuckles, tucking her hair behind an ear. “What’s up with you guys?”  
  
_‘We just wanted to check in and see how things were going with you and—”_ Mako starts but is immediately cut off by the sound of Bolin wolf-whistling. In the corner of Asami’s screen, she can see Korey standing just outside of the bathroom door with a towel wrapped around his waist and his eyes wide as he hears the whistle come through the speakers.  
  
_‘Korey!’_ Bolin exclaims excitedly as the boy holds up a finger to tell them to hold on before all but sprinting out of frame and towards the closet. _‘Ow, ow! Asami, you could’ve told us we were interrupting something.’  
  
_“You’re not.” Asami says, but not without ducking her head in embarrassment, although she can assume Korey had it worse for showing up on webcam half naked by accident.  
  
“Yeah, I was just I showering before work.” Korey re-enters the frame, this time in jeans and a dress shirt that he left open, too lazy to button up at the moment. “Hey guys.”  
  
_‘Okay, we need to rewind. Because we were going to call Asami and then call you, Korey, to get your guys’ comments on the last few months since we recorded your episode, but this is one of the first times that we’ve ever gotten both parties in one call.’_ Mako explains. _‘Walk us through that.’  
_  
“So after you guys left that day, I was able to hang around until around midnight before I had to turn around and go back to California.” Korey starts, “We decided to kind of come up with a schedule on how things would work if we decided to pursue a relationship and since then, we’ve been doing great.”  
  
“Yeah,” Asami smiles widely. “So, I’m actually on a 3-week break right now from school, so I’m out here until Christmas, then I’ll fly back to New York to spend the holidays with my parents while Korey goes back to Alaska. Also, Opal is coming out next week to hang out with us as well. But other than that, things are wonderful. We’ve got the next 6 months or so figured out and we’ll just keep going from there.”  
  
_‘That’s so awesome!’_ Boling squeals with excitement. _‘I’m so glad that things ended up working out. Your guys’ episode was a lot of firsts for us. Mainly, the first time someone we were looking into just showed up without even knowing we were looking into them. But also, even if some episodes end on a good note, by the time we make it to this two to three month check-up, things usually aren’t as exciting and happy as yours. Also, Korey, I see you got your surgery. You look freakin’ amazing, man.’  
  
_“Thanks, Bo.” Korey smiles before looking down at his watch. “Shit, I gotta get going. It was nice seeing you guys!”  
  
_‘Bye!!!’_ Mako and Bolin say in unison.  
  
“I love you and I will see you in a few hours.” Korey tells Asami before he plants a kiss on her lips and stands up, waving goodbye to her, Mako, and Bolin as he exits the frame.  
  
_‘Well, I honestly don’t think we could’ve asked for a better outcome when it came to your case. So, Asami, hopefully things work out with you and Korey.’_ Mako says sincerely. _‘And hopefully we’ll get to see you guy again!’  
  
_“Thank you guys so much. I know Korey would’ve shown up whether or not you two were working on this case for Opal and me, but I truly believe that it was helpful. He was telling me the other day that he has felt a lot more confident in who he is since he was able to tell people his story. He’s happy with himself and he definitely attributes some of that to being on the show and sharing his experience. So, thank you for that opportunity.” Asami grins with pride before chuckling. “I mean, in the last few days, anywhere it’s legal for him to be shirtless, which is most everywhere, he is. I cannot get that boy to put a shirt on to save his life. But it’s nice because he is comfortable and proud, and I’m just glad I get to experience this with him.”  
  
_‘That’s so wonderful. Seriously, you guys are one of the craziest, yet heartwarming cases we’ve ever taken on; a story for the ages, really. And we’re so glad that everything has worked out between you two.’_ Bolin says. _‘Anyway, we have to get going, but it was nice catching up with you, and we hope to see you again in the future!’_

"It was nice seeing you, too! Bye!"

* * *

“So, what do you think, Bo?” Mako asks as he leans back in his chair and interlocks his hands for his head to rest on.  
  
“I think they’re going to make it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye! We're here, we're queer (??? maybe not all of us ???)  
> And we're almost at the end!
> 
> Seriously, thanks for all the support and for my dedicated readers  
> Grow As We Go will be updated SOON, I promise.  
> I'm working out some things that I want to get done and then it'll be posted :D  
> (Did you see my little reference back to GAWG with Korey stepping in front of a webcam after a shower? God I love these two idiots) 
> 
> Also shout out to my friend (who will remain anonymous) for being the coolest ever and letting me write a story sort of (without the TV show part) based on your experience of being trans-intersex. I fucking love ya, buddy! 🤟🏻

**Author's Note:**

> So, obviously a way different story than Grow As We Go, but it was the only thing my spongy brain could think of at the time.
> 
> With everything going on with dates for taxes getting pushed back, season is going to be a little more hectic, but I have gotten halfway through with the next chapter for Grow As We Go, so there's that. You may not have to wait until April at all!
> 
> Next chapter of this story will be posted next week and until then...  
> :D


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